Posted - 03/04/2012 : 02:34:27 I recently saw a Brian Burke interview where he was crying about his sons death, and how he was a openly gay hockey player for Florida University, if I remember correctly.

Do you think there are gay hockey players in the NHL? If they were to come out of the closet do you think they would be supported? Or hated amongst team mates and rivals?

One thing is for sure, once the first guy comes out, a bunch will follow because as they say 'first is always the hardest most difficult'

Your thoughts?

18 L A T E S T R E P L I E S (Newest First)

Alex116

Posted - 03/06/2012 : 14:35:56

quote:Originally posted by Guest6042

Back in the day...(the 80's) the rumour was Glen Anderson. If it's true, it didn't seem to affect the way he was treated by his teammates (and that was 30 years ago). I agree with the comments that it shouldn't matter, but the folks saying that it's an old boys' club and therefore would matter, probably have it right. Which is unfortunate. But there's a lot of aspects of hockey that, unfortunately, are still ruled by the old boys' club. (not that hockey is any worse than NFL or MLB for having an old boys' club)

Well i can say this much, if the Glen Anderson rumour has ANY truth to it, then he is / was bi-sexual. I knew a guy who was at many parties with Oiler players back in the day (saw many pics so i know it wasn't a BS story) and apparently Anderson was quite the ladies man!

Guest6042

Posted - 03/06/2012 : 11:17:26 Back in the day...(the 80's) the rumour was Glen Anderson. If it's true, it didn't seem to affect the way he was treated by his teammates (and that was 30 years ago). I agree with the comments that it shouldn't matter, but the folks saying that it's an old boys' club and therefore would matter, probably have it right. Which is unfortunate. But there's a lot of aspects of hockey that, unfortunately, are still ruled by the old boys' club. (not that hockey is any worse than NFL or MLB for having an old boys' club)

Lee Marshall

Posted - 03/06/2012 : 10:54:22 Hard to win posting in this topic area. I'd venture to suggest that the number of gays in sports....NHL or otherwise...pretty much mirrors the average number in general terms...what is it? 7 to 10%? Somewhere in there.

Does it matter? Shouldn't.

But that past president south of the border won his 2nd term mainly by frightening the right-wingers regarding gay marriages.

Anti-gay thinking is still huge whether those who think that way want to own up to it or not. The closet remains a better bet.

Who the cap fits...Let them wear it.

Guest5052

Posted - 03/05/2012 : 10:15:51 I'm not sure I have heard any hockey player declare their heterosexuality (Paul Bissonette, excluded).

Shepsky

Posted - 03/05/2012 : 05:43:10 Though honestly, in this day and age, it's pretty much guaranteed that there is at least a few players in the NHL that are gay. I think it would actually be shocking if there weren't. It's just not that big of a deal anymore.

slozo

Posted - 03/05/2012 : 04:59:33

quote:Originally posted by MrBoogedy

excose the spelling Slozo, but that is the Richer i speak of. don't ask me where i heard it, but it's something i've been under the impression of for a very long time, and i have heard it more than once. I don't know it to be fact though.

Fair enough - I was just citing his wiki page and the mention of depression on it to show that clearly, if he was "out of the closet" . . . in any kind of public way . . . you'd think it'd be mentioned there - probably as a side note controversial thing. And as I said, I followed hockey during his era, and never heard of him specifically being gay.

Doesn't sound very much like public knowledge, that's all I'm saying. And to my knowledge, at the po level of hockey . . . I can't think of even one player that has ever "outed" himself.

MODERATOR EDIT--FOUL AND ABUSIVE LANGUAGE, HOWEVER ACCURATE, WILL NOT BE TOLERATED ON THIS WEBSITE

The Oil WILL make the playoffs in 2013.

Sorry, I didnt get a chance to read your post pre-edit. I thought I may offend some non-homophobic Albertans, in which case I am sorry. I realize you guys aren't all bad.

I do however stand by what I previously said.

MrBoogedy

Posted - 03/04/2012 : 20:30:48 excose the spelling Slozo, but that is the Richer i speak of. don't ask me where i heard it, but it's something i've been under the impression of for a very long time, and i have heard it more than once. I don't know it to be fact though.

Alex116

Posted - 03/04/2012 : 20:03:55

quote:Originally posted by Shepsky

Who really cares?

No one really needs to care, it's just a topic that the guest was curious to hear opinions on. Nothing wrong there.

Personally, i too could care less but i do think there would be some uncomfortable times for the individual and that's prob why most if not all, keep it secret. Not sure how they can actually do that as these guys have chicks all over them wherever they go. If a guy didn't have a wife or g/f and never went out meeting the ladies with the other guys and his team mates never saw him with a woman, it's look pretty suspicious. I'm more surprised that it's kept as quiet as it is really as you think word would get around and it would be known publicly eventually.

Folks, this thread is legit but can also go off course very quickly. Keep it in a place where the Mods do not have to lock it.

To the point, I am of the school of 'who cares who is gay.' However, I think hockey is still an old boys club in a lot of ways. Pro sports in general are. Specifially those that are expected to be played by a man's man. Football, hockey, etc. Even Basketball and baseball rarely have a player come out until after he is retired.

I think the it's sad that people can't live their lives as they choose. There are TONS of things I don't agree with in this world but each person has the right to live their life as they see fit without unreasonable consequences.

Posted - 03/04/2012 : 07:50:43 Stephan Richter (sp), used to plat for the habs and devils... openly gay over 10 years ago.

slozo

Posted - 03/04/2012 : 07:30:38 I know of at least one (now retired) NHLer who was gay, and never went public with it. I know this from a good buddy of mine who went to his high school and was buddies with him. Basically, the story went that everyone knew he was gay, including his teammates, but that was where it ended.

No, I'd rather not name him either, no point in doing it as I know a bunch of you would rise up in arms because you wouldn't believe me when you heard the name. And frankly, IMHO, it's his own personal business, so who am I to give out what is obviously private information to him? You know what I'm sayin'?

But amazing to me is that it WAS kept a secret . . . I was always astounded that such a well known and famous guy could be gay, every player/coach knows it, but never dd it come out. And that is the nature of sports, folks . . . it's still such a taboo thing, you just don't even talk about it.

So I am sure there are more than a few gay players out there, but we'll never know. And why should we . . . like, what does it really matter?

Doesn't matter to me.

"Take off, eh?" - Bob and Doug

Guest9022

Posted - 03/04/2012 : 07:15:41 Most people seem to like Crosby just fine, so what's the big deal? FYI Burke's son never came out WHEN he was playing, just after when he was like the trainer or whatever he was.